Personal Injury Lawyer | Burn Injuries
An experienced Personal Injury Lawyer can inform you of your rights if you or someone you love is in a fire, scald or burn accident at someone else’s fault.
In a national survey, nearly half (44%) of respondents said they did not believe burn injuries to be a major danger in their homes. However, burn injury center admissions continue to grow every year. Every day, 300 children are seen in emergency rooms for burns and two of those will die. Elderly loved ones are at greater risk of burn injuries. So how do we keep burn injuries from effecting our loved ones?
Stop Burn Injuries From Occurring In Your Home
The majority of burn injuries happen in the home. Cooking accounts for 47% of all home fires. By taking some simple precautions and alerting your family members to the risks of being burned, you can keep those you love from experiencing painful and potentially scarring burns and scalds.
● Cook when you are wide awake and never under the influence of medications that might make you drowsy or slow reaction time, other drugs or alcohol.
● Wear tight fitting clothing, especially sleeves when you are cooking.
● Always keep a lid and oven mitts nearby when cooking.
● Keep surface areas clean to prevent grease build-up.
● If a pot or pan does catch fire in your home, quickly cover it with it’s lid and turn off the heat.
● Do not move a pot or pan that is on fire and never put water on a kitchen fire.
● Make sure fire alarms are in proper working order.
● If a kitchen fire gets out of your control, get out of the house and do not return for any reason.
According to the American Burn Association, between 2013 and 2017, an estimated 376,950 scald burn injuries associated with consumer household appliances and products were seen in hospital emergency rooms in the U.S. between 2013-2017. This includes stoves, coffee makers, tableware, cookware and bathtubs. Remaining vigilant when it comes to daily household activities is your best defense against these type of injuries.
Keep Children Safe From Burn Injuries
Because children have immature motor and cognitive skills, are unable to self-rescue and rely on adults for supervision and danger-avoidance, they are at particularly high risk for burn injuries. Children also have thinner skin and sustain more severe injuries when burned.
● Make sure fire alarms are placed at the entrance to children’s bedrooms.
● Make children aware of the exits in their room and discuss an escape plan with them.
● Keep hot kitchen items out of reach of children. This includes pot/pan handles, hot liquids and coffee makers among others.
● Cook on back burners.
● Supervise young children in the kitchen as they learn to use the microwave and other potentially hazardous appliances.
● Always check water temperatures before bathing children. Keep your water heater set to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
● Do not leave children with immature babysitters and do not allow children to bathe younger siblings.
Avoid Burn Injuries Outside The Home
Burn injuries can happen outside the home as well. In a well-known case, a woman suffered third-degree burns when a fast food company served her scalding hot coffee. A man was burned as a patient in the hospital when his bed caught fire due to a manufacturing defect. Workers on the job have accidents through at their own fault or from improper safety precautions on the part of the employer. Taking inventory of our surroundings and staying alert to potential burn hazards can protect us as we go about our days.
● Follow all posted rules and protocol around equipment at work.
● Do not operate machinery when fatigued or distracted and never under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
● Read and pay attention to manufacturers warnings on the goods you purchase. This includes appliances, children’s toys, grills and more.
● Be aware of warning labels on food and beverages.
● Alert the proper personnel if you notice any unnecessary heat or burning smells in your surroundings.
If you or someone you know has suffered a burn injury, contact The Personal Injury Department at Young Wooldridge, LLP. A personal injury attorney at Young Wooldridge, LLP can inform you of legal options you may not know you have.
Young Wooldridge
Young Wooldridge, LLP is a full-service law firm serving Bakersfield, California and all of Kern County. Our firm is recognized as a leader in the community, and we offer and extensive and wide variety of legal services including, but not limited to water law, personal injury, business law, employment and labor law, estate planning, real estate, and much more. Please reach out today to talk to a member of our team.
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